


A life made from pictures

by Demigod2405



Series: Picture Perfect [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Bisexual Mike Wheeler, Bisexual Steve Harrington, Gay Will Byers, M/M, Rare Pairings, their all gay ok!, we dont have time to list them all!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 08:07:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19988851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demigod2405/pseuds/Demigod2405
Summary: Mike has been waiting for his soulmate mark to show itself for ages - his friends get their and things start going down hill.Then he gets his.





	A life made from pictures

Mike was angry. Very angry.

At the world and the fates and whatever magical or science THINGY it was that creates and dictates people and their soulmates. It was very obviously biased, just in what way he didn’t know. He had been waiting for his 14th birthday to come around for months just for this moment. As had his friends. Dustin had been yammering on about what he ‘just knew’ his soulmates was like – aka making it up as he went along. Lucas was kinda quite about his soulmate but Mike could tell that he was as excited as Dustin – just more composed. Will was pretty much silent about the whole thing and Mike couldn’t blame him, the things he had gone through were horrific and Mike wouldn’t wish them on the worst people let alone his soulmate. That brought them round to Max. She had been very vocal about not caring for her soulmate presence in her life. “If they’re really right for me then they’ll find me” was a common phrase used. Mike didn’t think like that – what if her soulmate had the same attitude and they just never met? Soulmates weren’t – Here’s the one and only person for you – they were more like – Here’s the most compatible person for you, but just because they’re the _most_ compatible one doesn’t mean they’re the _only_ compatible one – Mike preferred it that way. Apparently Max didn’t think the same. Jane was the outlier. Living in a lab didn’t really afford Jane and education on common things, let alone soulmates. Still Mike had a small sense of pride in the fact that he would get to teach her all about them when their marks matched. Because of course they would. They had too.

Mikes 14th birthday rolled around second to last of the ‘Party’. His being just a month ahead of Dustins. It was Lucus that hit 14 first. It was a school day – a Thursday – that Lucus came striding into school, a shit eating grin on his face. Mike got a pit in his stomach when Lucus didn’t move his gaze from Dustin. Mike knew what Dustins’ Soul mark was, a frog footprint on the back of his left arm, they all knew. A persons’ personal soul mark could be anywhere on their body but their soul mates marks only appeared above the heart, for some reason. Lucus had an army symbol on his right bicep – an Army ‘Specialist’ rank, though what it was specialised in they didn’t know – and Mike knew that in a years’ time Dustin would have that symbol on his chest. Great. It wasn’t even that they were both guys that bothered him, it bothered him that Lucus was looking at Dustin and only Dustin. He hoped that Lucus wasn’t the type to forget his friends for love.

Will had his next. It was a Sunday before a bank holiday so they organised a small get together at the Byers for him. Purple bunting along the celling edges and a purple shiny table cloth with silver paper plates and paper cups. Stars were a theme and most food was cold nibbles or cooked by Steve beforehand. That was something Mike didn’t know how to react to. His sisters’ boyfriend (or ex? He didn’t really know anymore. Nancy had been spending a lot of time with Jonathan at the moment) was hanging around the Byers a lot recently, talking with Mrs Byers and helping her out with anything she put his way. When Castle Byers got caved in? They found Steve there the next day, with a tool belt on and wood planks around him. Castle Byers had been fully built – and made sturdier - by the days end and then Steve had cooked a lasagne for them while telling Mrs Byers “you’ve been on your feet all day, relax – I got this!” It was that Lasagne that made Mike not even think of hesitating when Steve brought out a chicken and rice dish that was cool and herby instead of spicy – just the way Will preferred. Though he did earn a smack on the head and a “Wait for Will!” from Mrs Byers for that. Jonathan had taken Will to the Comic store with the promise to buy him anything for his birthday, a clever way to have the time to decorate the house and cook the food without Will realising. They still didn’t know what Wills’ mark was though. He hadn’t said anything to them and they hadn’t really felt comfortable enough to ask so…

It was only about 10 minutes before Jonathan was walking Will through the door to a chorus of voices screaming “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” He was, of course, very surprised and then very happy. They played Disney songs and danced stupidly to them, trying to out badly sing each other and failing because they had to keep pausing to laugh. Some stupid kiddy party games followed and kept them laughing while stoking the competitive streak for Dustin and Lucus. Mike personally thought Lucus was being smart by acting all lovey dovey towards Dustin but not telling him about them being soulmates. This way when Dustin got his soul mate mark there would already be some feeling involved on Dustins’ part and their relationship would run smoother than people who waited for their soulmate and soulmate alone, then jumped straight into a relationship only to realise that they had no idea how a relationship worked and that they knew nothing about their soulmate outside of ‘tHeIr My SoUlMaTe!’ That wouldn’t happen with Dustin and Lucus though so Mike pushed it to the back of his mind and focused on the food spread out in front of him.

Steve, Jonathan and Mrs Byers had spread it out over the dining room table for them to pick and choose what they wanted. There were; 4 different types of chips, sausage rolls – with vegetarian versions as well – cheese and crackers, sliced veg and hummus, finger sandwiches stuffed full, Steves’ herby chicken and rice dish that Will adored and nicked most of, sliced fruit, fruit dipped in chocolate, chocolate biscuits and 5 different juices to drink. It was heaven on the taste buds for them. They had all grabbed a plate and sat down on the living room floor, using the floor as a table, while Jonathan and Nancy took the sofa – talking quietly amongst themselves. Mike was curious though, about the fact that Steve had chosen it sit with Mrs Byers and The Chief at the rickety white table in the kitchen but was looking like he would rather be anywhere else. He couldn’t really hear what was being said but Jane pressed herself against his side and he found he didn’t really care.

The subject of soulmates came up while talking, Jane wanted to see what a soulmate mark would look like. No one could say no to her – not even Will. However with Lucus hiding his from Dustin it was Will that slowly turned around so his back was too them before taking off his shirt. His soul mark was situated on his upper back, across his right shoulder blade, a painters brush dipped in rainbow paint. Mike loved Wills’ mark. It almost glowed in the sun and it left a bright streak of paint across Wills’ shoulder blade that almost sparkled. It fit him perfectly. Jane reached out and tried to touch his back but Max stopped her. Soul marks were nothing that special chemical wise, they were just pigment on skin. They only weird thing about them is that; they can’t be replicated, they can’t be tattooed over nor can they be altered and they can’t be removed. If a persons’ soul mark is damaged – often a side effect of surgery – it will just reappear on a different part of the body. A persons’ soul mate mark also follows the same rules. It was just social norm though that both marks are a bit private. Jane didn’t care though it seemed as she once again reached out, grasping Wills’ left shoulder and tugged him round. Mike finally saw his friends’ soul mate mark. It was a stick of white chalk, facing away from them, writing what looked like equations onto Wills’ skin. Simple and neat, a perfect complement to Wills’ rainbow brush. They all complimented it, stating that he would end up with a brainy person he could teach to let loose.

They were in the middle of a debate about who in school was brainier and therefore Wills’ soulmate when Steve walked into the room and started clearing their plates. They all noticed when Steve froze though. He was staring at Wills chest, at his Soul mate mark. Mike was ready to get defensive of Will and he could see all the others following. They all puffed out their chest and sat a little straighter. Only to wilt a little when Steve pulled his phone out his pocket and started flicking through it at rapid speed. They all stared at each other in confusion ‘what’s he doing?’ Will took the opportunity to put his shirt back on during the time spent waiting for Steve. It was when he finally held his phone screen up for them (mainly Will) to see that they realised why Steve was spooked. A slightly younger Steve stared back at them, dressed in swimming trunks, a kid their age by his side. Mike was kinda worried about how his eyes followed the ‘V’ of Steves’ hips down, down into his tru- NOPE! He quickly forced his eyes away and looked at the kid next to Steve. A kinda skinny brunette boy looked back, with a rainbow paintbrush on his chest. He was older than them then. With how old Steve looked, he was most likely 1 or 2 years older. Huh, Steve knew Wills soulmate. Go figure.

Aidien Harrington

That was his name. He was Steve Harringtons’ younger cousin. The second son of Steves’ Aunt Maryse. He was an Einstein prodigy and an insufferable brat. He believed that everyone in the world was dumber than him and talked like it. He dressed and acted like he was a 60 year old, all the way to calling anyone under a year younger ‘kids’. He had Wills’ paintbrush over his heart and the chalk stick on the back of his left hand. Most importantly, he made Will smile. Every face time they spent together had Will smiling the next day. He didn’t bombard them with ‘Aidien said this’ or ‘Aidien said that’ but he would talk in length about Aidiens’ talents when asked. It was cute, Mike thought, how open Will was becoming. He was still a very anxious boy, he still had panic attacks and nightmares, but his days were getting brighter at least.

The next in line was Max.

It was meant to be a quiet affair, because she didn’t actually let them know when it was, but it didn’t exactly end up like that. She just came to a sleepover one night in a tank top and Jane saw the top if Maxs’ mark peeking out over the collar. A line mark, simple and slightly on the small side. It was a book. Open in the middle with pages lining each side and words drifting across the pages you could see. The pages had one large word with lots of small words under it, an encyclopaedia. Maxs’ Soulmate was another brainy one it seemed. At Janes’ insistence Max rolled her sleeve up and showed her the wheel and spanner design on her outer forearm. Jane stared at it a little longer, then stared at Max, then back at the Design. Then all hell broke loose when Jane lifted her shirt and showed the Wheel and Spanner design on her chest. The boys were screaming congratulations as Mikes’ world crumbled and rotted around him. Jane wasn’t his soulmate. He was going to have to spend every day watching the girl he loved love someone else. Did Jane actually love him? The way she was looking at Max made him doubt. Dustin raised a very good point in the fact that Jane didn’t have a soul mark of her own, taken from her most likely by the same thing that gave her the powers she had – Brenner. But, yay! Now they knew what Janes soul mark was meant to be! It took a lot for Mike to swallow the words rising in his throat but he cared for her so he had to let her go. Even if he didn’t like it. At all

So yeah he was angry, very angry.

\---------------

Mike now spent a lot of his time avoiding the couples.

Max and Jane had devoted time into learning what they had in common and what they had different. Lucus had finally admitted his deception to Dustin and now they were waiting for Dustins’ birthday next week. Yeah you heard that right – next week. Mike had had his. A small tea with family and an outing at the arcade with friends, he was happy. It wasn’t till that night, in the privacy of his own room, that mike peeled of the skin patch he had stuck there this morning and looked at his soul mate mark. A stethoscope with a teddy bear with a pink bow on the metal end of it. Medical told the stethoscope, Childish? Young? Works with children? Mused the Teddy bear. Mike sighed, his friends had all found their soulmates almost immediately but he had no idea who his was nor did his friend when he had finally gotten the nerve to show them. He had never seen this mark before, not even similar ones he could go off of. Trust him to be the odd one out.

Mike had been spending time with someone though, surprisingly of which was Steve. During nights at the Byers, when Mike couldn’t bear to be around so many couples, he had begun sneaking into the kitchen. Making up a game of seeing how much food he can swipe before Steve smacks him round the head. The answer was often – none. Steve seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to his food, he was always there to lift Mike away. That was also something that was happening – Steve lifting him up and manhandling him around. Surprisingly Mike didn’t mind as much as he thought he should. It make his stomach feel weird whenever Steve picked him up, twisting and curling, his face flushed easy and with how pale he was – it was easy to spot. Also Steve playfully threatening him when he nicked food? Being (lightly) pushed against the wall and encased by Steves’ body? Mike was questioning things he didn’t think he’d ever question. Namely – his _fucking_ sexuality. It wasn’t a hard thing really. Mike knew Steve worked out – had seen the gym equipment in the Harrington basement last sleepover, had seen Steve in the pool, wet shirt clinging to him. Those times were particularly hard on his puberty ridden body. Tan skin with little moles and water heavy trunks riding down to give just a hint of wet hair. Mike had often had to excuse himself during those pool visits.

Though, those pool visits proved to be useful in another reason.

Jonathan Byers finally taking his shirt off and revealing the cross pendant mark on his chest and the film roll mark on his left shoulder blade. The same pendant that ‘hung’ around Billy Hargroves’ neck and the same film roll that balanced on Billys’ peck. It was funny seeing Billy freeze up when he spotted it from across the pool. Froze up to the point that three kids running past managed to push him into the pool to great applause. Billy didn’t look so frozen when he came back up for air though. He looked like a shark that had just gotten a whiff of blood. Mike had watched as Billy slunk back under the water and started swimming along the pool towards where Jonathan sat at the edge, dangling his feet in the water. It was rather comical how Jonathan screamed when Billy pulled him into the water, resurfacing to breathe before swearing his head off and shoving Billy away from him. Billy just grabbed his hand and held it to his chest, just below his heart. A frozen Jonathan would have started sinking if Billy hadn’t held him up and a kiss on his cheek was what brought him out of his frozen state. Nancys’ shriek was less comical. To the point that Steve had dragged all of the kids away – taking them for ice cream to make up for it – and left Nancy to scream at the soul mates. So it wasn’t really surprising that Jonathan broke up with Nancy not long after, what was surprising was that Jonathan and Billy didn’t start dating right away. Jonathans reasoning was that ‘I hardly know him and I need to if I’m going to be dating him’ Billys reasoning was ‘His step-fathers the sheriff, I’m not fucking this up’.

Dustins’ party rolled around incredibly quickly. His radio crackled into life around 7:30 in the morning, luckily a Saturday, with Dustins’ voice proclaiming his love for his soul mate while Lucus joined in and tried to outmatch each other before Steves’ voice broke through telling them to shut the hell up before he ate Dustins’ cake himself. A very effective threat that always got results. Dustin and Lucas quickly shut up and no other sound was made through the radio until around 11:00 with Dustin reminding them of his party at Steves’ and demanding that no-one be late. Like anyone would be, they knew what was waiting for them. A Steve Harrington special. Triple layer chocolate and salted caramel fudge cake with milk chocolate buttercream and white chocolate strawberries along the top. For sugar addicts like them – Steve was a god send. When Mike arrived (Sister less he was pleased to note) it was too Dustin and Lucus wrapped around each other comparing their marks with the others ohhing and awhing over them. And so Mike found himself heading where he was spending more and more of his time – the Kitchen to spend time with Steve. However when he reached the doorway he heard Mrs Byers voice “Chicago Steve? That’s incredible!” Mikes stomach dropped, Steve was accepted to Chicago? He was going to leave! Composing his face, Mike walked into the kitchen with his hands held out, silently asking for snacks. They were very quickly put in his hands and he turned and fled the room trying not to let his tears be seen.

Mike played the scenario of Steve leaving over and over in his head for days after. Steve packing his bags with their help, loading up the car while they messed with the radio, waving goodbye as they watched him go. They all seemed to churn his gut and make him breathless. Mike wasn’t a genius but he wasn’t stupid either. He knew what that meant. He was in love with – or at the very least had a massive crush on – Steve! His Sister Ex! His sisters’ dopey, silly, kind, caring, loving ex. Her ex that took care of them when their own parents couldn’t be bothered. Her ex that kissed their heads and their scrapped knees, that learned their favourite foods and was happy to cook 6 different meals each night. He cared for them. He… loved them. He loved them. And they loved him as the best Big Brother in the world – The mug Dustin had gotten him at Christmas said so. Except – maybe Mike loved him a bit more than a brother. If Mike saw Will looking at Jonathan the way he knew he was looking at Steve, he’d call hopper. Mike Wheeler was bisexual and attracted to his sisters’ ex. Fuck his life.

Life continued as normal – for the most part at least. Mike started paying more and more attention to Steve as a person rather than an idea. He learned that Steve was an amazing cook because he had been left home a lot as a kid and had gotten bored of eating the same microwavable meals. He learned that Steve preferred kick boxing over heavy weights when working out. He valued speed and skill over brute strength – Mike could get behind that. He learned that Steve loved the combo of white and gold. That his mothers’ verbal abuse had led to him growing up a neat freak and he actually loved when the kids left because it gave him actual stuff to clean rather than just dusting and straightening things that were already straight. Mike learned that Steve had been accepted to Chicago University. He would be studying nursing – focusing in paediatrics, in children. Mikes’ hand drifted towards his chest with that one. A paediatric nurse. That fit his mark to a tee. That answered why Steve had been talking to Mrs Byers. Before Lonnie had come along, Joyce had been a nurse herself – specialising in Old Age Pensioners but still. She had been helping him get experience at Hawkins hospital, shadowing nurses and doctors, even filing some paperwork to familiarise himself with that environment. It had worked – he had gotten into his first school. When Mike queried the Sheriffs involvement, Steve started talking about the Sheriff giving him a position at the Precinct as their on call paediatrician. The position would make it so that if a child was hurt and needed medical attention – especially if the child was from an abusive home – they would call Steve, and Steve alone, in to help. Mike couldn’t help but smile at his kind love. He was incredible.

A plan was formed to find out if Steve was his soul mate or not – hopefully he was. Mike noted that Steve never took his shirt off, even at the pool, so he’d have to be creative. A series of spills and trips had Steve changing shirts almost every other day. To be honest the fact he hadn’t gotten fed up with Mike yet was a miracle. This boy was a miracle. A miracle with a very muscled and toned back. Peeking through doorways told Mike that but it wasn’t until about a month later that he found his answer. A tree had fallen onto the Hopper cabin during a storm and Hopper was staying with the Byers but Jane had wanted to stay with Max. The issue was Neil Hargrove. Steve had purposefully said he was leaving a key under his mat for Jane, Max and Billy to escape if needed. That way Neil would be an issue – for now. At this moment in time however, Mike was planning on using that key for far more nefarious purposes. Like spying on Steve. Hey, Steve had said they could come round whenever! He didn’t mean for Mike intentions but whatever. Mike needed to catch Steve somewhere that he defiantly wouldn’t be using a shirt. So gym or shower. This was getting so out of hand but hey – he’s a 14 year old boy going through a sexuality crisis and his maybe soulmate is a 4 year older athlete working to become a paediatric nurse. Sue him for wanting closure. And closure he got. If Mike thought Steve in wet shirt and swimming trunks was bad it didn’t prepare him for a naked Steve. The Harringtons’ parents were bouge when they built this house. Instead of a tub and shower curtain like most people, the Harringtons’ had a drain in the tiled floor and had floor to ceiling glass doors for entry. What was it his mother had called it when she was looking at this that one time? A wet room. A wet room that offered him an (almost) un-obscured view of Steve. Fuck. It Steve was his soulmate then Mike couldn’t wait till he turned 18.

Snap out of it Mike, that is not what you are here to do. His chest Mike, look at his chest.

Nothing.

Steves’ chest was bare. He didn’t have a soul mate mark on his chest, just skin. Mike quickly ran his eyes over the rest of Steve body – nothing. Steve didn’t have any pictures on his skin. He didn’t have the teddy bear doctor on his body and he didn’t have Mikes’ fountain pen on his chest. He wasn’t Mikes’ soulmate. For fucks sake. Either Mikes’ soulmate was still out there or Steve was Mikes’ soulmate but Mike wasn’t Steves’. Mike didn’t like it either way but one was better than the other. If Steve was Mikes’ soulmate but Mike wasn’t Steves’ than that meant that Mike still had chance with Steve. A small chance but a chance. Steve was into boys, a drunken truth or dare with the other ‘teens’ had dragged that out, and Mike was defiantly into Steve at least. This could be amazing or it could blow up in his face. You know what? It had been said that Mike Wheler was a compulsive little shit again and again, why prove them wrong now? So after toeing of his sneakers, he slipped into Steves’ unmade bed and curled up into a ball. The bed sheets smelt like musk and sweat and that meant Steve had most likely just woken up. The water shut off as Mike lay there and he heard the door slide and Steves’ feet pad across tiles. Mike shifted the duvet just enough that his hair stuck out the top. It was a little while later that the bathroom door opened fully and feet padded across carpet towards the bed. A hand fell on his shoulder before sliding into his hair and a warm body curled around his duvet form. Mike whispered a story of his parents fighting and him climbing out the window, it was kinda true – except Mike was more than fine wandering around town. Mike had purposefully chosen to come to Steve for a reason but oh well – Steve didn’t need to know that.

It wasn’t until next morning that Mike realised his mistake.

During the night Steve had found his way under the covers with Mike pressed tightly behind him. Steves’ morning wood was pressed up against Mikes lower back. Hot and Heavy. Mike found he liked the weight. When Steve stirred however, Mike feigned sleep and felt Steve press more against him. Wait what. Steve suddenly pull away from him sharply and Mike caught something about him being underage. Steve liked him. Steve was attracted to him! Oh he wasn’t missing this. “In Indiana, the age of sexual consent is 16. However, this number is nearly arbitrary, as the law permits individuals aged 14 and 15 to consent to sex with anyone younger than 18 that isn’t their soulmate or above 18 that is” Steve had frozen at the end of the bed, looking at him with deer-in-headlights eyes. It was a good look for him. Mike moved forward on the bed – going slow to avoid spooking his soulmate. He reach up and grasped Steves head in his hands, once he reached the end of the bed. It was a chaste press of closed lips but it felt incredible for Mike. Steve had closed eyes when he finally pulled back. Mike begged and pleaded for the first time in his life but it worked. Steve was his.

\---------------

Mike really, really liked being Steves’ boyfriend.

Indiana was still a little backwards sexuality and gender wise but they made it work. Steve was an incredibly sweet boyfriend. He was the kind of man who’d bring you flowers and then when asked why – would say ‘does there need to be a reason?’ He cooked Mikes’ favourite foods for him, going as far as packing it up and labelling them for his lunch. The looks on his friends faces when they were eating their school slop and he was sat there with a chicken and rice salad, homemade cheesy bread and real butter with a slice of cake for dessert. He kinda felt bad but not really. In return Mike always played Steves’ favourite musical songs when they were cooking. Another thing Mike had learned about Steve was that he loved Musical theatre. Steve had admitted that it was one of the few thing that his parents had actually done with him as a kid before they left permanently. Mike could get behind that, he had used to watch the gardening show with his mother every other night before his father had screamed about him being girly and they stopped.

Almost every day after school, the party would converge into Steves’ house. Mike and Dustin in Steves’ car, Jane and Max in Billys’ car and Will and Lucas in Jonathans’ car. Once home, they would do their homework under the older boys eyes and make sure that there was nothing outstanding. If they all got it done it time, they would be allowed to play a few hours of D’n’D before dinner, although – under Steve advice – he had started to write the campaigns down before hand and letting them play through so that he could help Steve in the kitchen. Mike didn’t think it was right for Steve to do all the work when it was them that invited themselves round every night then demanded food. He surprisingly enjoyed working with Steve. He would put on some musical numbers – a lot of them from Hamilton, Steve had gotten him addicted – while Steve set the ingredient out. Mike would then take the veg and prep it while Steve dealt with whatever kind of meat they were having. It was calming but energising at the same time. He liked it. This domestic bliss he had found with Steve. He didn’t know what it would be like after Steve left for college.

And there it was, the one topic of conversation Mike hadn’t brought up yet. Well hadn’t brought up now they were together. Steve had told Mike about being accepted to Chicago University but he hadn’t said anything about accepting their offer. And Mike was at war with himself, he really wanted Steve to stay and for them to have this domestic bill forever – but he also really wanted Steve to pursue what he loved and to make a difference to those kids lives. It wasn’t right for Mike to hold Steve back from university just like it wasn’t right for Steve to hold him back. Still, Mike can be selfish and enjoy what he has for as long as he has it. Like Steve Harringtons’ back muscles through his white shirt, as he does pull ups on the bar rack thing. Mike was appreciative – very appreciative. He was enjoying that he was allowed to reach out and touch now. He could run his hand over Steves back and tug on sweaty hair. He got to hear Steve groan and the thud as Steve dropped to the ground. Got to feel Steves’ arms around him and Steves’ lips on his neck. That’s as far as they go though, Steve was adamant that they wait till he’s 18 to have penetrative sex. Stupid law.

Still with the threat of college on the horizon, as said before, Mike will take what he can get.

It wasn’t until June that Steve told him that he had accepted the Chicago offer and was leaving end of August to arrive in time for September start and give him time to learn his way around. Mikes’ not ashamed to say he cried. The months he had spent with Steve were amazing and he didn’t want them to end but he pulled away from Steves’ hug with a smile and congratulations on his tongue. The others took it less well. Dustin accused him of things, Jane turned away completely. It wasn’t until Steve explained that he wouldn’t be gone forever, just 4 years, that she kinda came around. The others were a mixed bunch, the adults were happy for him but the kids were so-so about it. They didn’t like the idea of losing their protector. Given the short time frame between now and Steve leaving, Mike decided to put together a PowerPoint presentation as to why the consent laws weren’t against them and why they should have sex before Steve leaves. One of those points being an open relationship. College is known as the time of experimentation after all and he didn’t want Steve missing that. Steve had laughed when he’d shown him, picked him up bridle style and carried him through the house to his room and threw him onto the bed. An intense make out session followed and Mike was not ashamed to say he came in his pants when Steve snaked a hand down – any teenage boy with Steve Harrington above them would.

They hadn’t actually had the sex he wanted though. Bummer. And time was running out. Eventually Mike just got sneaky; staying the night and waking Steve up the fun way or sneaking a hand up his shirt while cooking. Nothing got him further than before and Steve was leaving in two weeks! Eventually Mikes’ horny teenage mind override his logical nerdy mind and told him to just push Steves’ shirt up while he’s sleeping. It’s nothing you haven’t seen before and he’ll enjoy it. Its doing things without consent spoke his logical side but the image of Steve sweaty and shaking won out. Mike made sure the others tired Steve out that afternoon and that Steve was dead in REM cycle when he pushed the covers down and Steves’ shirt up. Tones abs that Mike loved then it was the chest. The bare chest that still dropped a stone in his stomach. The bare chest… with scars? Now that Mike was closer, he could see 4 thin scars running in a box pattern on Steves’ left pec. Right where Steve’s soulmate mark should be. With Steve still dead to the world, Mike took his time gently exploring the rest of Steves’ body. With no results until he reached Steves’ feet because there, wrapping around his ankle, were more thin scars. Starting just under the ankle bone was scars in an octagon shape then wrapping around his ankle going up, two each side making a line around until the top when it split in two and ended with square ends. Mike had the image of a stethoscope wrapping around the ankle. The metal end at the bottom, with the circle being cut out as an octagon because of smoothness issues. The single body then splitting into two separate arms to go each side of the head. It was him. Steve was his soulmate.

Mike had never been happier in his life, his love was his soulmate! For real this time! Then reality crashed down. Steve didn’t have his marks. They were taken from him – deliberately too from the look of those scars. How was that possible? Soul marks and soul mate marks couldn’t be destroyed, they just moved on the body. Mike had to wake up Steve – he needed answers. After pulling Steves shirt down but putting his head in a position to look through the thin material and see the scars. Steve was embarrassed at Mike seeing the scars but ultimately opened up to him. The tale Steve spun brought Mike to tears. Of absent but controlling parents that were obsessed with climbing ladders and that believed that soulmates hindered that. Of shady doctors and experimental practises that didn’t destroy the marks, making sure they never reappear on the new skin graft. He spoke of humiliation and pain causing him to hide away. He spoke of the beautiful silver fountain pen that he had only seen for a week before his parents found out and had it taken away. At that Mike spoke of seeing the pen again and at Steves’ so open and loving gaze, turned around and lifted his hair. He felt Steves’ fingers linger over his skin before brushing a few strands away, leaving his fountain pen on display. A kiss fell, then another than another. Mike finally got his wish, that night they had sex for the first time with Steve whispering ‘soulmate’ over and over again until it sunk into Mikes’ skin and burrowed into his heart.

The next week was hard on both of them as a couple. They were trying to fit months of time together into one week but they were still happy in the time they spent together. It was almost easy how Mike forgot about the time limit when he was with Steve, everything else melted away. They spent a lot of those nights in the back of Steves’ beamer up at the quarry. Mike enjoyed drawing faces into the steam they created after everything. Still the day came when Steve had to finish packing, even managing to avoid being dragged back to bed by Mike. It lasted only a few hours though before Mike kissed Steve deeply and started helping him pack. It was hard work watching all of Steves’ things disappear into boxes and be taped up, smothered in the darkness of shadows. He had protested Steve taking his letterman jacket though. Steve had wanted it as a keepsake – Mike put it on, buttoned it up then ignored Steve attempts to get it back. Yeah he won that fight. He wanted to pretend that he didn’t have tears in his eyes as they loaded up Steves’ car with the boxes and bags. He wasn’t leaving till tomorrow – they had a dinner at the Byers to contend with first – which left time for Mike to collect his gift from the shop. Mike had been inspired with his soulmate mark when choosing a going away gift. A custom light blue stethoscope with a golden teddy bear on the end – wrapped in a pastel pink bow. Perfect for his love. Still that was for later – first party time!

The party was a huge success – of course. White decorations with gold trimmings littered the place while salty and sweet snacks littered the tables. Steve loved the combo of sweet and salty, Mike never got it but he was more than happy to indulge his boyfriend. He had taken control when it came to planning the party and he had seen the looks in his friends’ faces when they saw how much he knew about Steve. It reminded him that none of them knew that he and Steve were soulmates. It was planned that way actually – he and Steve had sat down and decided that Nancy breaking up with Steve then Steve turning around and dating her underage brother, wasn’t exactly a good image. Still Mike pushed it down and continued sneaking whisky into his cola when the ‘Adults’ weren’t looking. The Byers whisky wasn’t as good as Mr Harringtons’ collection but Mike didn’t mind, it still gave him the same floaty feeling and still made everything just that little more saturated. He enjoyed it the most though when he was chasing the taste on Steves tongue. That way it mixed with Steves’ natural taste and Mike got to feel his boyfriend groan against him. It made him feel really powerful.

There were a lot of people who would condemn then both for what they do. Whether because of their genders or their ages, Mike found a sick satisfaction in thinking of them while doing what they did. Steve was good at what they did and Mike was very much enjoying learning all the ways to give and receive pleasure. Tonight was different though. Instead of laughs and dirty talk, Steve was so gentle with him; spreading him out, kissing the souls of his feet and making his way slowly up, lingering to bite and lick and nibble at his most sensitive areas. Mike knew that Steve was trying to commit this moment to his memory for Mike was doing the exact same. He knew how hard the next 4 years would be and he wanted something to keep. Steve had surprised him later, when they were both almost asleep, with a key to the Harrington Mansion. The house was legally Steves’ after some obscure housing abandonment law bit Mr and Mrs Harrington in the arse. Something about leaving a house unoccupied for a certain amount of time means your legally abandoning it. It had blown up when they had tried to build more extensions and the Planning Permission people had turned around and told them the house wasn’t theirs anymore. It was Steves’. That apparently led to a huge fight between Steve and his parents – resulting in Steve getting the house permanently. It was an amazing thing to hold that key in his hand and watch the lamp light reflect onto Steve’s face. He had access to the Harrington house and no one knew. He could make it his home. Steve assured him that he had put Mike down as a ‘next of kin’ type person – that way the police could force Mike out of the house. Perfect.

It was because of the night before that when the dawn broke through the gap in the curtains and onto Mikes face, he woke up with a heavy but warm feeling in his chest. Steve was leaving the state for school but he wouldn’t be gone forever. He would be coming back for long weekends and holidays, they would face time each night – even if they said nothing and just focused on their own work. Most importantly though – His soulmate was doing what he loved and furthering his career. All those hurt children needing Steves care, helped him cement the fact this was a good thing in to his mind. And so when Mike watched his soul mates’ car drive around the corner and away from Hawkins, even if a tear fell from his eye, he smiled.


End file.
